MOVIE PREVIEW: Walking with Dinosaurs

Go back in time to meet dinosaurs that roamed the earth millions of years ago

Dec. 23, 2013

In 'Walking With Dinosaurs,' Patchi grows up to become the herd's formidable leader. / 20th Century Fox

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If you’d like to see and feel what it was like when dinosaurs roamed the earth, check out “Walking with Dinosaurs,” a new big-screen adventure for families. The movie transports you back in time, into a world that existed thousands of years ago. You embark on a prehistoric journey, where Patchi, an underdog dinosaur (voiced by actor Justin Long,) triumphs against all odds to become a hero.

The movie takes place in the Cretaceous Period, in what is now known as Alaska. We meet Patchi as hatchling and watch him find food to eat, evade predators and rise above his rivals in order to win a mate.

“Patchi is curious, always brave and unfailingly optimistic,” said Neil Nightingale in a media interview with Upstate Parent.

Nightingale, who co-directed the movie, said kids will identify with Patchi’s quest for survival.

“In real life, we may not be chased by predators, but Patchi’s challenges are things that we can all recognize and empathizes with,” he said. “Audiences will get behind Patchi and root for this underdog hero to triumph.”

The filmmaker believes that dinosaurs combine the best of two worlds: They’re scary, but because dinos haven’t been around for millions of years, they’re non-threatening.

Nightingale thinks society’s enduring obsession is here to stay.

“Dinosaurs are the most amazing creatures to have ever existed on our planet,” he said. “In four and a half billion years of Earth’s existence, there have been no creatures that are more dramatic or terrifying. Dinosaurs fascinate us because they represent a sort of safe danger. You can be scared of them but not too scared because they are long gone. They’re not going to come out from under the bed or pounce on you in the dark! And, it’s not just dinosaurs we are talking about; it is the age of dinosaurs. It is amazing to know that the world we now live in, the skies above us and the stars we see were once their realm – incredible animals now lost to pre-history.”

Actor John Leguizamo voices Alex, a prehistoric parrot who is Patchi’s best pal.

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“Kids love dinosaurs, and they’re going to love this movie because it feels so real, and has lots of humor and fun,” Leguizamo said. “Plus, they’ll love the camaraderie between Patchi and Alex.”

Leguizamo, who also played the silly sloth Sid in the “Ice Age”films, said it was a challenge finding a voice for Alex.

“Alex is a kind of precursor to a parrot, so I adopted a Spanish accent for Alex because most parrots come from Latin American countries,” he said. “What was most difficult was finding the right pitch, because Alex is a small bird, but he’s also the story’s narrator. So he also had to sound paternal and patriarchal.”

Like many strong friendships, Patchi’s and Alex’s is symbiotic. In real life, the two species were predators who hunted each other, but in the movie, they are best friends.

Patchi hails from the tribe of Pachyrhinosaurus (which is Greek for “thick-nosed lizard”) dinosaurs. He is far from being the biggest or toughest guy in the herd, so he must use his wits to compete for food with his larger brothers and sisters. Patchi’s ability to think outside of the nest is evident even as a hatchling, when he wanders from his home to explore his surroundings. Early on, Patchi is snatched by a hungry predator, which leaves him with his defining physical trait: A bite-hole in his frill.

According to Long, Patchi has “an insatiable curiosity, as many runts do. It does get him into trouble, but in the long run it helps him evolve and become the leader he was meant to be.”

“Walking With Dinosaurs” is a classic coming of age tale. It features two rival dinosaurs, a love story and an epic journey that presents a series of hurdles to overcome. It’s also a family-themed story with vivid and fun characters. The movie transports the audience– in ways never before possible – into an exotic prehistoric world where dinosaurs that look real and that interact with their environment. The movie brings to life are the latest dinosaur research and discoveries, realistic designs created in collaboration with paleontologists, cutting edge visual effects, and 3D wizardry.